I have a question about the recipe "Kale Macaroni and Cheese in Homage to Woodberry Kitchen" from healthierkitchen. Hi, if I were to make this a few hours ahead of time, would it be better to get it all in the casserole, put it in the fridge and then bake at the last minute, or bake most of the way, wait, and then warm it up at the last minute? Thank you,
This dish like many gratin-type recipes is designed to have warm cooked ingredients go directly into the oven to continue cooking. If you halt the process midway by refrigerating, it will undoubtedly lengthen the cooking time as the cooked ingredients first need to come back up to the original temperature.
Moreover, a primary component of gratinated dishes like this one is the crispy top, something that will soften if it sits in the fridge.
If you are to serve this to others, you are highly advised to do a test batch beforehand. My guess is that one would have to increase the baking time by 15-30 minutes. As to not risk the charring of the top, I suggest adding the breadcrumb/cheese topping about 30 minutes into the baking phase.
You are probably looking at 60-75 minutes of cooking time, maybe more, at which point, you should consider whether or not preparing the ingredients in advance is worth it.
Again, your personal experience from your test run will help you come to a decision.
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